Foundation for elastic fluid turbines and the like



May 15, 1945. J. ROBERTS FOUNDATION FOR ELASTIC FLUID TURBINES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 11, 1943 Fig.2.

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FOUNDATION FOR ELASTIC FLUID TURBINES AND THE LIKE James L. Roberts, Schenectady,

General Electric Company,

New York N. Y., assignor to a corporation of Application December 11, 1943, Serial No. 513,984

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to foundations for elastic fluid turbines and like machines subject to high temperatures during operation. More specifically, the invention relates to foundations including a concrete block or blocks and asole plate or plates attached thereto for supporting a turbine or other machine on the block. Difficulties have heretofore been experienced with such arrangements due to growing and uneven expansion of the concrete caused by heat transmission from turbines supported thereon. Great temperature changes of the block, especially nonuniform heating may cause misalignment of the turbine and require frequent aligning thereof. In certain instances it has been found that temperaturedifferences in the block may be of such magnitude as to cause bending and warping of heavy sole plates.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of foundations including concrete blocks whereby the aforementioned For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 illustrates a turbine foundation arrangement embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view along line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The arrangement comprises an elastic fluid turbine ID with an exhaust end I I and a bearing l2 for supporting a turbine shaft near the exhaust end ll. l2 comprises a concrete block I3'and a sole plate "I on the upper face of the block with grooves I5 keyed to the bearing casing by means of keys I6. Heat may be transmitted from the turbine to the concrete foundation block I3 by conduction through the sole plate I and also by radiation from the turbine towards the side of the block facing the turbine.

Means are provided to reduce the transmission of heat from the turbine to the foundation block and to assure uniform heating of the latter. In the present example this means comprises a plu- The foundation for the bearing rality of series-connected tubes I! having an inlet l8 and an outlet [9 and being located adjacent the lower side of the sole plate l4 and securelyfastened thereto by means of a plurality of spaced welds 20. The triangular spaces between each tube l1 and the sole plate l4 are filled in by a pliable cement or putty 2| of good heat conductivity in order to assure good heat flow from the sole plate M to the cooling ll. The spaces between adjacent tubes are filled in by concrete of the block l3.

The side of the block l3 facing the turbine exhaust end is covered with a layer of asbestos 22 or like material of low heat conductivity. The asbestos in turn is lined with series-connected cooling tubes 23 similar to the tube H for the sole plate. During operation, water or like cooling medium is conducted through the tubes l1 and 23, thus carrying away a considerable amount of heat conducted through the sole plate and radiated towards the tubes to the tubell 23. As far as heat is actually transmitted from the turbine to the concrete block l3, such heat is uniformly distributed within the block by action of the cooling tubes and the insulating cover, thus reducing to a minimum uneven expansion of the block and the sole plate. The temperature of the concrete foundation block may be controlled by controlling the amount of water or like cooling medium conducted through the cooling tubes. With this arrangement the turbine is kept in alignment and expense in correcting the alignment at frequent. intervals is materially reduced.

Having described the method of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best mbodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Foundation for elastic fluid turbines and like machines subject to high temperature comprising a block, a sole plate on the block, and cooling means between the sole plate and the block to reduce heat transfer through the sole plate to the block.

2. Foundation for elastic fluid turbines and like machines subject to high temperature comprising a block of concrete; a sole plate supported on the block and cooling means between the sole plate and the block to reduce heat transfer through the sole plate to the block, said cooling means comprising series-connected tubes arranged in the supporting surface of the block and a cement of good heat conductivity filling the spaces between the respective tubes and the sole plate to assure good heat transmission from the plate to the tubes.

3.-Foundation for elastic fluid turbines and like machines subject to high temperatures durtubes ing operation comprising a concrete block, a sole plate on the block, means for cooling the sole plate to reduce heat transfer to the concrete block, and other means for reducing heat radiation towards a side of the block, said other means comprising a sheet of material of low heat conductivity attached to said side and cooling tubes attached to said sheet.

JAMES L. ROBERTS. 

